The size of the desktop and number of available colors on a computer is configurable and dependent on the hardware installed. These attributes are also likely to differ on the deployment computer compared to those on the development computer. 

An application's appearance (window, object, and font sizes) on computers configured for different screen resolutions can be handled in various ways:

• Design the application for the lowest resolution users will have (typically, 640x480). Take no special actions to dynamically resize objects to make them proportional to the host computer's screen display. Visually, objects will appear smaller the higher the resolution is set.
• Design using any screen resolution on the development computer and, at runtime, dynamically resize all forms and objects proportional to the difference between the screen resolutions for the development and deployment computers (a screen resolution difference ratio).
• Design using any screen resolution on the development computer and, at runtime, dynamically resize only the application's forms. Depending on the location of visual controls on the forms, this may require the forms be scrollable for the user to be able to access all controls on the forms.

• Considerations When Not Dynamically Resizing
• Considerations When Dynamically Resizing Forms and Controls
• Accommodating Varying Color Depths